


I Get Knocked Down (But I Get Up Again)

by emphasisonem



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Flirting, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-11-02 22:11:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10953738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emphasisonem/pseuds/emphasisonem
Summary: “You sure you’re ok?” the blond asks, and Bucky really appreciates the fact that the guy isn’t laughing, considering his friend can’t seem to help snickering at Sam’s outrageous display.“I’m fine,” Bucky huffs with a smirk. “Pride’s a little bruised, and I’m guessing I look like a fuckin’ drowned rat, but no permanent damage.”A slow- and frankly, evil- smile makes its way across the blond’s lips. There’s a flicker of uncertainty in those blue eyes, but it’s replaced with a nearly-predatory look that gives Bucky goosebumps.“Shame,” the other man teases Bucky. “I’m pretty good at kissin’ things better.”In which Bucky Barnes is a show off at the beach and pays the price.





	I Get Knocked Down (But I Get Up Again)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kiriei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiriei/gifts).



> Just a little meet-cute action courtesy of an A+ tumblr prompt sent my way. Hope you all enjoy it :)
> 
> And if you're asking yourself the question, "Is the title of this fic a reference to the '90s smash 'Tubthumping' by Chumbawumba?" the answer is yes.

“I think we have an audience.”

Bucky groans as turns to face his friend Sam, shading his eyes from the bright afternoon sun glinting off the waves. He’d been _thisclose_ to dozing off after a quick swim. The soft sand below their blanket and the warm sun on his bare skin had lulled Bucky into a dreamy half-sleep, and he’s reluctant to pull himself back into wakefulness.

Although, in fairness to Sam, they’d come to the beach to hang out together, not to waste the great weather napping. It was a perfect day, Sam had said earlier that morning, to swim and lounge and people watch. Apparently some other beachgoers had had the same idea.

Bucky wracks his brain, thinking about the other people scattered across the sand around them. There aren’t many – it’s still the offseason, after all.

Sam smirks at Bucky when the brunet quirks a brow.

“Three o’clock,” he tells Bucky. “Blondie looks _just_ your type, Barnes.”

Bucky rolls onto his stomach, brushing some sand from his upper arm as he glances in the direction Sam has indicated. About five feet away from them are a man and a woman sprawled out in low-to-the-ground beach chairs – a couple of the brightly colored old ones with that sort of latticed look to them, Bucky thinks with amusement – watching Bucky and Sam as surreptitiously as possible.The woman is gorgeous, all smooth, pale skin and bright red hair, but her _friend…_

The blond man sitting beside her is nothing short of the most physically perfect person Bucky’s ever seen. He’s sitting down, but Bucky can tell the guy’s probably north of six feet tall. His broad shoulders and chest indicate a hell of a workout regimen, and his flaxen hair is thick and healthy looking. 

Bucky wonders what color the eyes hiding behind the man’s aviators are before turning back to Sam with a sly smile.

“He is,” Bucky replies with a mischievous grin. “Wanna give’m both a show?”

Sam snorts and shakes his head, but he’s rising from their blanket and grabbing the football they’d brought along just the same.

“Such a goddamn exhibitionist,” Sam mutters as he heads toward the water. “They’re probably a couple anyway.”

Bucky chuckles as he pushes himself up off the ground, taking one last glance at the blond before following Sam across the sand. Bucky’s certainly not going to deny his friend’s claim of exhibitionism. He’s never been averse to showing off a little bit if there’s a cute guy or girl around to watch him. And blondie is _beyond_ cute. 

“Guess that makes you an enabler,” Bucky teases, biting back a laugh as Sam throws an exasperated glance at him.

“And who cares if they’re a couple?” Bucky asks as he falls into step beside Sam. “Still checkin’ us out, aren’t they?”

Sam doesn’t dignify that statement with anything more than an eye roll and a terse, “Just go long, Barnes.” 

Bucky laughs, then breaks into a sprint. He moves horizontally first along the line where the ocean meets the sand toward their admirers, and then moves a little further into the surf.Bucky watches as Sam draws his arm back and then throws the ball. 

Sam’s overthrown it just a bit (their high school football days are nearly a decade behind them), but Bucky can still jump for passes nearly as well as he did their senior year. He nabs it with a pleased crow, landing with a splash.

It’s hard to tell because they’re both wearing sunglasses, but if the way the redhead is smirking and leaning over to talk with the blond is any indication, they’re definitely still watching. 

Bucky grins and launches the ball back toward Sam.

 

* * *

 

“They noticed us noticing them,” Natasha says as the two men she and Steve had been eyeing head for the water, a football in the hand of the dark-skinned man. Steve nods, but his eyes never leave the long-haired brunet who’d caught his eye. 

His gaze is drawn from the man’s handsome face to his left shoulder blade as the guy and his friend head toward the ocean. Steve thinks he might see scar tissue, but it’s hard to tell given the guy’s chosen to tattoo the whole area along with his left arm. Steve is intrigued by the swirls of color and the story behind him. 

He’s also intrigued by the guy’s perfect butt and thick thighs, but, really, who wouldn’t be?

“He keeps looking this way,” Natasha says as the brunet glances back at them before tearing off across the sand. “I think he’s checking you out.”

“They’re probably both checking _you_ out, Nat,” Steve laughs, shaking his head. “Couple of guys like that? No way they’re not straight.”

Natasha smirks and leans toward Steve as the dark-skinned man throws the ball, and Steve’s breath catches as the way the brunet’s muscles bunch and flex as he leaps to catch it. 

“You know what they say about making assumptions, Steven,” Natasha chastises him, and Steve rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m an ass,” Steve murmurs, body tensing as the brunet’s eyes land directly on him. And then the asshole has the audacity to _smile at him_ , and fuck if that isn’t the prettiest thing Steve’s seen in a good long while. He wishes he could believe that maybe he’s the cause of that sinful grin. 

The brunet throws the ball back to his friend, and while it’s not as impressive a throw, it still reaches its target.Which Steve thinks might be unfortunate because Natasha takes the opportunity to applaud enthusiastically.

“What a catch!” Natasha calls out as Steve sinks into his chair and tries to ignore the blush rising to his fair skin. “Get it!”

Steve can hear the brunet laughing, and he doesn’t miss the way the dark-skinned man winks at Natasha. Clearly his and Nat’s attention isn’t unwelcome. 

The two men continue their game of catch, Natasha hooting and hollering the whole way through, and Steve might applaud once or twice. Maybe even wolf whistles at a particularly impressive catch.

Steve notes that the brunet’s eyes are in fact drifting toward _him_ more often than not. _Interesting in the extreme,_ he thinks. 

The brunet wades deeper into the surf with every passing throw, and maybe the guy’s paying too much attention to Steve because he’s about hip deep when Steve sees a fairly large wave building behind him. 

“You think he knows there’s a solid chance he’s about to get clobbered?” Steve asks with a rueful smile as he turns to Natasha. The redhead’s brow furrows for a moment as she looks out at the horizon, but Steve knows exactly when she spots the wave because a mirthful laugh bubbles from her lips.

“Are you kidding?” she teases. “You’re way too distracting. That boy is toast.”

 

* * *

 

Bucky feels the rough pull of the undertow before he sees the wave, but he knows he’s fucked as soon as he realizes that he can’t really swim against the current. 

“Buck, watch it!” Sam shouts as Bucky turns, but it’s too late. There’s a giant wave coming for him and he’s only got around three seconds to consider exactly how stupid he’s about to look in front of blondie before it breaks, knocking Bucky off his feet and carrying him closer to shore. 

After a moment, Bucky breaches the surface, coughing and sputtering as he pushes his now-soaked hair away from his forehead. 

Of course, that’s when another wave comes and hits him square in the face. 

Fortunately, it forces Bucky into shallower waters, and he’s on his hands and knees trying to get his lungs back in working order when three pairs of feet stop in front of him.

“You all right, Buck?” Sam asks, and Bucky nods through his coughing fit so that Sam won’t worry. 

Bucky shouldn’t have bothered with concern, though, because Sam proceeds to say, “Shit, man, that was funny as hell.”

“Fuck you, Wilson,” Bucky chokes out, glaring up at Sam as his friend bursts into laughter. Hands-on-his-knees, can’t-quite-breathe laughter. Like Bucky needs this shit. 

Bucky beginspushing himself up from the hard, wet sand, and is surprised when he feels a strong hand gripping his bicep and an arm around his waist. When he looks up, blondie is staring back at him with a small smile. The aviators are sitting atop his head now, and Bucky’s a little stunned by how blue the eyes gazing into his own are.

“You sure you’re ok?” the blond asks, and Bucky really appreciates the fact that the guy isn’t laughing, considering his friend can’t seem to help snickering at Sam’s outrageous display. 

“I’m fine,” Bucky huffs with a smirk. “Pride’s a little bruised, and I’m guessing I look like a fuckin’ drowned rat, but no permanent damage.”

A slow- and frankly, evil- smile makes its way across the blond’s lips. There’s a flicker of uncertainty in those blue eyes, but it’s replaced with a nearly-predatory look that gives Bucky goosebumps.

“Shame,” the other man teases Bucky. “I’m pretty good at kissin’ things better.”

Sam whistles low at that, and he and the redhead erupt into a fresh wave of giggles as Bucky glares at them for a moment before turning his attention back to Steve.

“Well, then,” Bucky grins. “Why don’t you tell me your name and let me buy you an ice cream or somethin’ and maybe I can find a spot that needs kissin’ better?”

The blond barks out a laugh, eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’m Steve Rogers. And I’d like that.”

“Bucky Barnes,” Bucky replies as he tugs Steve away from their ridiculous friends and toward the vendor up by the dunes. “You like Chipwiches, Steve? Or are you more of a Choco-Taco man?”

Steve eyes Bucky with a smirk. “If you think I’m not getting a popsicle to pay you back for every moment of that shameless display of athleticism of yours before that wave wrecked you, you’ve got another think comin’, pal.”

Bucky barks out a laugh and without thinking says, “Marry me.”

“Let’s see how the ice cream goes first,” Steve grins, winking as the two of them reach the vendor's cart.

Bucky’s pretty sure he’s going to be utterly powerless in the face of that smile.

And also that he’s already about halfway to falling in love. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come hang out and flail about Steve and Bucky with me on [tumblr dot com](http://emphasisonem.tumblr.com/). If you want. No pressure.


End file.
